Automatic stoker



June 10, 1924;

W. T. HANNA AUTOMATIC STOKER 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Filed Dec.

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uBume l0 1 924. I I

W. T. HANNA AUTOMATIC 'YSTOKER Filed Dec. 11'; 1920' 4 Sheets-Sheet 2June-10,1924. Y Y 1,497,014

' W. T. HANNA AUTOMAfP IC STOKER- Filed Dec. 11, 920 4 sheets-sheet 5June 10, 1924. 1,497,014

W. T. HANNA AUTOMATI C STOKER Filed Dec. 11 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 To allwhom it may concern:

Patented June 10, 1924.

WILLIAM T. HANNA, or CINCINNATI, OHIO.

AUTOMATIC STOKER.

Application filed. December 11, 1920. Serial No. 430,020.

Be it known that I, WILLIAM T. HAN NA, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and resident of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and Stateof Ohio, have invented I a new and useful Improvement in AutomaticStokers, of which the following is a specification. Y

An object of my invention is to provide a compact and efficient stokerespecially adapt? able to locomotives, that may be readily mounted on alocomotive.

Another object is to provide a device of the type referred to andfor thepurpose stated in which substantially all of the driving mechanismsaredisposed below the floor of the engine cab.

These and other objects are attained by the means described herein anddisclosed in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is an elevationtaken on line 1 -1 of Fig. 3, parts being broken away and showing I adevice embodying my invention, mounted on a locomotive.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2.2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view, looking to the right on Fig. 1, partsbeing broken Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view on line 44 of Fig. 2.Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view on line 55 of Fig. 4. i v -Thestoker of my invention comprises a housing A, which surrounds the usualfiring opening, a fuel conduit a, which enters the lower end of thehousing, a feeder D which carries fuel to the fuel conduit from thetender E and forces it upward in the conduit, andelevating anddistributing mechanism in housing A. Housing A contains within it theelevating conveyors a and a tothe lower ends of which conveyors the fuelis fedby the conveyors E and D. The housing together with the elevatingconveyors are adapted to be mounted about and adjacent to the door ofthe locomotive fire box. Housing A is preferably pearshaped havingupwardly and outwardly diverging sides and is secured upon'the boiler Cof the locomotive C above the cab floor 0 by any-suitable means such asbolts a, and has a' secondary firing opening a -in its rear wall a andan aperture a formed in the "front wall, a of the housing. The aperturea and secondary firing opening a} are substantially in horizontalalignment with .the primary firing opening 0 in the boiler,

which is located in alignment with the longitudinal centerline of thegrate 0 Contained within the housing A and disposed between the rearwall a? and the forward wall a thereof are the elevating conveyors a.and a. The forward wall a of housing A engages and is mounted upontherear outer wall 0 of the boiler C. The

elevating ,conveyors comprise the' tubes a and a forming partof housingA andthe spiral screws a and a rotatably mounted therein. The spiralscrews are driven by any suitable means such as the driving mechanism Bthat is preferably disposed below the cab floor 0 The driving mechanismmay be of any type adapted to impart rotatory motion. The drivemechanism B has extending therefrom a drive shaft b, adapted to revolvethe shaft a upon which is mounted the screw a Shaft 0. drives the shafta" by means of the beveled gears a and a mounted on'the' shafts a" and arespectively by means of the'keys a. The

beveled gears a and a are contained within the supplemental housing aformedv at the base of the, housingA and thru which 'theshafts a and a".extend. The spiral screws are mounted fixedly on the shafts a and .a. bymeans of the pins a whereby the shafts a and a" and the screws a and aare operated in unison from a common driving mechanism. The supplementalhousing a forms a base or bottom'for the tubes a and a and is formedintegral with the conduit a. A plate a is secured to the base of thesupplemental housing a and forms a closure for thechamber a within whichthe gears a and a are contained.

The shaft a extends thru.the plate or to aj point without the housing Aat which it is attached to drive shaft?) of the drive .mechanism B bymeans of a universal joint b An end-bearing a is mounted upon the platea within the chamber a and serves as an abutment for shaft a and thegear mounted thereon. The upper ends of the tubes at and a." areenlarged and have angular shoulders a formed thereon. The inner andbottom edges a of the shoulders a extend over the adjustabledistributing chutes a and'oi mounted on the rocking shafts a and a whichshafts are carried by the housing A. The chutes are controlled by meansof the arms a and a having sleeves rotatably mounted on shafts a, and aLug plates a and a are carried by arms a. and a andmay be engaged bylugs formed on the handles a and a said handles having hubs mounted onthe shafts a" and a When it is desired to render the chutes inoperative,the lugs are disengaged from the lug plates, wherefore when the handlesare rotated, the chutes may be swung clear of the shoulders at so as notto interfere. with hand stoking thru the housing and the primary feedingopenin The chutes may be oscillated above their pivotal mountings bymeans of the controlling device A to the reciprocating shaft R of which,the arms a and a are pivotally connected by suitable links 0 and 1- Thelug plates are provided with spaced slots a in which the handles mayengage, as shown in Fig. 5, whereby to transmit motion between thehandles, and to vary the arcs thru which the chutes a" and a may beoscillated. Further explanation of the chutes is deemed unnecessary asthe action thereof is fully explained in my copending application SerialNumber 308,851 and need not therefore be more specifically describedherein. The Ways or bores formed in tubes a and a communicate adjacenttheir lower ends with the conveyor D by means of the conduit a. A casinga is secured to the supplemental housing a and extends below the cabfloor 0 and provides the lower terminus of the conduit a. A ball andsocket joint a connects the rear end of the casing 0. and the forwardend of thecasing d that surrounds the conveyor screw d An observationdoor a is formed in the rear of the housing A immediately below theopening a such door opening into the tubes a and a at their bases. Aplate at is adapted to form a closure for the observation door. By meansof .the observation door, the operator can watch the fuel fed to thefurnace and can remove any slack or other non-combustible or deleteriousmaterial. Apertures a, see Fig. 4, are formed in the sides of thecasing, adjoining the base of the tubes a and (1 to facilitateassemblage and to facilitate removing of any obstructions in the tubes.The plates a" form closures for the apertures a.

The conveyor D comprises a tubular casing at within which is mounted aspiral screw d. The conveyor E comprises the tubular casing a mounted onthe tender E and which communicates with'the supply of fuel in thetender in any manner common in the art'and a spiral screw 6 is revolublyand centrally mounted withinthe tubular casing e in any manner wellknown in the art. The conveyors are disposed below the cab floor 0". Thetubular member e is adapted to be connected with and to extend into therear end of the tubular casing d of the conveyor D, in a manner wellknown in the art. The spiral screw d is connected with the spiral screwby means of a universal joint (i The spiral screw e is driven by meansof gears 6 mounted on the tender, one of said gears 0 being driven bydrive shaft e which shaft is connected by universal joint e to thedriving shaft 0 which shaft is connected by a universal joint 6 to thedriving mechanism B. The second gear is mounted on the shaft carryingthe spiral screw 6 Mounted between the housing A and the rear wall ofthe boiler C and extending thru the primary firing opening is thedistributor plate 7". Mounted adjacent and extending over thedistributor plate f are a series of ejector nozzles 7 adapted, togetherwith the distributor plate, to feed the fuel evenly over the bed of thefurnace which nozzles are preferably of the type illustrated and explained in my copending application, Serial Number 377,226, and whichtherefore require no further explanation or description. The doors G arepivotally mounted on the housing A and normally close the opening a inthe housing. The doors are provided at their upper ends with meshinggear segments, whereby when one of the doors is rotated about itspivotal mounting, the other door is also rotated. -Any suitable meanssuch as a lever g fastened to one of the doors may be employed to openand close the doors. The doors may be opened either manually'orautomatically, as described in my said copending application.

In operation the screws 6 and d carry the fuel from the conveyor D andforce it thru the conduit a and into the tubes at and a The shaft a isrotated by the drive mechanism B whereby the spiral screws mountedwithin the tubes a and a carry the fuel upward thru the tubes a and 05and push the fuel over. the shoulders a whereupon the fuel falls uponthe chutes a and 0 and is guided by means of the chutes to the desiredposition above the distributor plate f and the ejector f As the fuelfalls upon the ejector and the distributor plate, thefuel is carried byjets of air or steam to various parts of the grate of the locomotive.

Should the stoker fail, the chutes may be swung to an inoperativeposition as here'- tofore described and the boiler can be fired thru theaperture e in the housing and thru the firing openings in the boiler andhousing.

As an auxiliary means adapted to cooperate with theconveyors E and D, inmoving the fuel thru the conduit a, I provide a blast nozzle or seriesof nozzles h which extend into theconduit a, and by means of which ablast of air or steam may be introduced into the conduit (1? to assistin conveying the fuel upward thru the conduit and into the elevatingconveyors in the housing A.

What I claim is: 1. In a locomotive Stoker the combination of afire-box, having a firing opening located in alignment with itslongitudinal axis, ahousing embracing'thefiring open-. ing, adistributing plate mounted adjacent,

the housing and extending into'the firing opening, achute mountedpivotally within the housing and adapted to direct fuel to thedistributing plate, and means within the housing for feeding fuel to thechute. 2. In a locomotive stoker thecombination with a fire-box having aprimary firing opening, of a housing having an aperture in its forwardwall registering with the primary firing opening,-a distributor plateextending into the primaryfiring opening, a chute mounted pivotallywithin the housing and projecting over the distributor plate, andmeanswithin the housing for feeding fuel to the chute.

3. In a locomotive stoker the combination with. a fire-box, having aprimary firing opening, of a housing having an aperture in its forward'wall registering with the primaryfiring opening, a distributor plateextending into the primary, firing opening, a

7 chute mounted pivotally within the housing and, projecting over thedistributor plate,

means within the housing for feeding fuel to the chute andmeans tosupply fuel to the fuel feeding means. I

4. In a locomotive stoker the combination with a fire-box, having aprimary firing opening, of a housing having an aperture in its forwardwall registering with the primary firing opening, elevating conveyorwithin the housing adapted to carry fuel from the base of the housing topoints near the top thereof, and a chute pivotally mounted-within thehousing adapted to direct fuel from the top of the conveyor thru theaperturein the housing and thru the primary firing opening.

5. In a locomotive stoker the combination with a fire-box, having. aprimary firing opening, of a housing having an aperture in its forwardwall registering with the primary firing opening, and having a secondaryfiring opening in its rear wall and in substantial alignment with theprimary firing opening and the aperture, an elevat-.

mg conveyor within the housing adapted to carry fuel from the base ofthehousing to points near the top thereof, and a chute pivotally mountedwithin the housing adapted to direct fuel from the top of the conveyorthru the aperture in the housing and thru the primary firing opening.

6. In a locomotive stoker the combination with a fire-box, having a Pimary opening, of a housing having an aperture primary firing opening,and having a secondary firing opening in its rear wall and insubstantial alignment with the primary firing openingand the aperture,an elevating conveyor within the housing adapted to carry fuel from thebase of the housing to pointsnear the top thereof, a chute pivotallymounted within the housing adapted todirect fuel from the top of theconveyor thru the aperture inthe housing and thru the primary firingopening, and means to feed fuel to the elevating conveyor.

7. In alocomotive stoker the'combination of a fire-box having a primaryfiring opentributor plate extending into the primary firing opening, achute mounted pivotally within the housing adapted to direct fuel to thedistributor plate and means within the housing for feeding fuel to thechute. 8. In a sto-ker mechanism, the combination of a fire-box having afiring opening in its wall, a housing mounted adjacent to and extendingabout the firing opening, an ejector mounted adjacent the firing openingand adapted to direct fuel into the fire box, a chute mounted pivotallywithin the housing adapted to direct fuel to the ejector and meanswithin the housing for feeding fuel to the chute.

/ 9. In a stoker mechanism the combination of a fire-box having a firingopening in its ing, a housing embracing the firing opening wall, ahousing mounted adjacent to and housing for feeding fuel to the chute.

10. In a stoker mechanism the combination of a housing having a chamber,adapted to be mounted adjacent toand to embrace a firing opening, thehousing having upwardly extending ways formed in it, the ways extendingabove the firing opening and communicating at their tops with thechamber, pivotally mounted ehut'eswithin the chamber projecting belowthe tops of theways, a supplemental housing below the first mentionedhousing having a fuel conduit communicating with the lower ends of theways, a revoluble drive shaft extending thru the supplemental housinginto one of the ways, a driven shaft extending into the supplementalhousing and into a second'one of the within the ways mounted upon thedrive and driven shafts.

11. In a stoker mechanism the combination of a housing having a chambertherein, adapted to be mounted adjacent to and to embrace a firingopening, and having up- .wardly extending ways formed in it, thewaysextending above such firing opening and communicating at their tops withthe chamber, pivotally mounted chutes within the housing projectingbelow the tops of the ways, a supplemental housing forming a base forthe first mentioned housing, having a chamber formed within it, thesupplemental housing having a fuel conduit formed in it, the fuelconduit communicating with the lower ends of the ways, a revoluble driveshaft extending thru the walls of the supplemental housing and thechamber therein, and projecting into one of the ways, a driven shaftextending thru a wall of the supplemental housing projecting into thesupplemental housing chamber and into a second oneof the ways, meanswithin the last mentioned chamber adapted to transmit motion from thedrive shaft to the driven shaft, and means to rotate the drive shaft.

12. In a locomotive stoker the combination of a fire-box, having afiring opening located in alignment with its longitudinal axis, ahousing embracing the firing open; ing, a distributing plate .mountedadjacent the housing and extending into the firing opening, a pivotallymounted chute within the housing and adapted to direct fuel to thedistributing plate, means withinthe housing for feeding fuel to thechute, andmeans to oscillate the chute about its pivotal mounting.

13. In a locomotive stoker the combination with a firebox having afiring opening, of a housing having an aperture in its forward wallregistering with the firing opening, a distributor plate extending intothe firing opening, a pivotally mounted chute within the housing andprojecting over the distributor plate, means within the housing forfeeding fuel to the chute, and means to oscillate the chute about itspivotal mount- I4. In a locomotive stoker the combination with afirebox, having a firing opening, of a housing having an aperture in itsfor-v ward wall registering with the firing opening, a distributor plateextending into the cember, 1920.

firing opening, a pivotallvmounted' chute within the housing and proecting over the distributor plate, means within the housing for feedingfuel tothe chute, means to supply fuel to the fuel feeding means, andmeans to oscillate the chute about its pivotal mounting.

15. In a stoker mechanism the combination of a furnace having a firingopening in itsiwall, a housing mounted upon the. exterior of the furnaceand embracing the firing opening, means associated with the. furnace andthe housing for feeding fuel to the fur- 'nace by way of the firingopening therein, a

' adapted to direct fuel to the distributor plate, means within thehousing for feeding fuel to the chute, and means to oscillate the chuteabout its pivotal mounting.

17. In a stoker mechanism the combination of a housing having a chamber,adapted to be mounted adjacent to and to embrace a firing opening, thehousing having upwardly extending ways therein communicating at theirtops with the chamber," ivotally mounted chutes within the chem erprojecting below the tops of the ways, a supplemental housing. having afuel conduit communicating with the lower ends of the ways, a revolubledrive shaft extendin thru the supplemental housing into one 'o the ways,

a driven shaft extending into the supple mental housing and intoa secondone ofthe ways, means within the supplemental housing for transmittingmotion from the drive shaft to the driven shaft, and spiral screwswithin the ways mounted 'upon the drive and driven shafts. v 4 I Intestimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this ninth day ofDe- WILLIAM '11. Hanna.

